Shabbat, 27 Cheshvan 5784 / November 11, 2023

Day 315 Readings

Torah: Chayei Sarah, 7th Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 25:12-18

New King James Version

The Families of Ishmael and Isaac

12 Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13 And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 [a]Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their [b]settlements, twelve princes according to their nations. 17 These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He [c]died in the presence of all his brethren.

Haftarah Hayyei-Sarah: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 1:1–31

28 King David answered by saying, “Summon Bat-Sheva to me.” She entered the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29 Then the king swore an oath: “As Adonai lives, who has delivered me from all adversity, 30 as I swore to you by Adonai the God of Isra’el, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do today.” 31 Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to the ground, prostrating herself to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Hayyei-Sarah:

Mattityahu (Matthew) 8:19–22; 27:3–10;

New American Standard Bible

19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 And another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Luke 9:57–62

59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Bible Study Together

1 Samuel 7:3-22

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name [d]Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

John 10:1-21

New American Standard Bible

Parable of the Good Shepherd

1 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them [a]meant.

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and [b]have it abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.”

365 Daily Kingdom Living

Stay Together!

We are called to love God and care for one another. Without staying together and fellowship together, how can we love and care for one another? Without joining a cell group or small group, you have only experienced half of a Christian's Life. God also called us to fellowship together. Have you joined a cell group yet?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, come fellowship with us when we fellowship with others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Scripture

Ezekiel 23

35 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and discarded Me behind your back, suffer on your own part the punishment for your outrageous sin and your obscene practices.’”

36 Moreover, the Lord said to me, “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. So they have committed adultery with their idols, and even made their sons, whom they bore to Me, pass through the fire to [ac]them as food. 38 Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day, and have profaned My Sabbaths.

Hebrews 10:19-39

A New and Living Way

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let’s approach God with a [a]sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let’s consider how to [b]encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Christ or Judgment

26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But remember the former days, [c]when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming [d]companions with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive [e]what was promised.

37 For yet in a very little while,He who is coming will come, and will not delay.38 But My righteous one will live by faith;And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

39 But [f]we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.

Psalms 109

Plea for Judgment of False Accusers

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

109 Do not keep silent,O God of my praise!2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitfulHave opened against me;They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,And fought against me without a cause.4 In return for my love they are my accusers,But I give myself to prayer.5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,And hatred for my love.

6 Set a wicked man over him,And let an [a]accuser stand at his right hand.7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,And let his prayer become sin.8 Let his days be few,And let another take his office.9 Let his children be fatherless,And his wife a widow.10 Let his children [b]continually be vagabonds, and beg;Let them [c]seek their bread also from their desolate places.11 Let the creditor seize all that he has,And let strangers plunder his labor.12 Let there be none to extend mercy to him,Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.13 Let his [d]posterity be cut off,And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.15 Let them be continually before the Lord,That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,But persecuted the poor and needy man,That he might even slay the broken in heart.17 As he loved cursing, so let it come to him;As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,So let it enter his body like water,And like oil into his bones.19 Let it be to him like the garment which covers him,And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.20 Let this be the Lord’s reward to my accusers,And to those who speak evil against my person.

21 But You, O God the Lord,Deal with me for Your name’s sake;Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.22 For I am poor and needy,And my heart is wounded within me.23 I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens;I am shaken off like a locust.24 My knees are weak through fasting,And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.25 I also have become a reproach to them;When they look at me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!Oh, save me according to Your mercy,27 That they may know that this is Your hand—That You, Lord, have done it!28 Let them curse, but You bless;When they arise, let them be ashamed,But let Your servant rejoice.29 Let my accusers be clothed with shame,And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,To save him from those [e]who condemn him.

Proverbs 27:13